Japanese manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, known for his boxing manga 'Tomorrow's Joe,' passed away on the 22nd at the age of 87.
According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, Chiba died from myelodysplastic syndrome at a hospital in Tokyo. His funeral was held as a family affair, with his wife overseeing the arrangements. The publisher Shogakukan announced on the 27th that they would decline separate condolences and monetary gifts, while considering a farewell event.
Born in Tokyo in 1939, Chiba moved with his family to Manchuria in 1941 and returned to Japan in 1946. He debuted as a manga artist in 1956 while still in high school, initially working in girls' magazines before transitioning to boys' comics with the baseball manga 'The Oath of the Pitcher' in 1961.
His most notable work, 'Tomorrow's Joe,' was serialized from 1968 to 1973. Collaborating with writer Asao Takamori (pen name: Ikki Kajiwara), the series depicted the life of protagonist Joe Yabuki and became a cultural phenomenon. Following the death of rival character Rikiishi Toru, playwright Shuji Terayama held a real-life funeral, and in 1970, a radical group that hijacked a Japan Airlines flight left a statement saying, 'We are Tomorrow's Joe,' which garnered significant media attention.
Other notable works include 'Fighting! Kendo Unbeaten,' 'Rascal Matsutaro,' and 'Conqueror of the Green,' which also gained recognition in South Korea. Since 2015, he had been serializing the essay manga 'Hinemosu no Tari Diary.'
Chiba received the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Special Award in 2018, was honored with the Order of the Rising Sun in 2012, and was recognized for his cultural contributions in 2014. In 2022, he became the first manga artist to be inducted into the Japan Art Academy, and in 2024, he was awarded the Cultural Medal, becoming the first manga artist to receive this honor. He served as chairman of the Japan Cartoonists Association from 2012 and as president from 2018.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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